Why Gut health is important and how to improve it?

When we talk about the gut, it means a gastrointestinal system or simply, the digestive system. You may not realize it, but your gut health plays a huge role in your emotional, physical, and mental health. We all experience gastro issues one way or another and choose to ignore them but should it be taken easily? I fear not. A disturbed gut may lead to chronic gut disease. Trillions of bacteria known as microbes live inside the gut which is important for overall health. The balance of these bacteria inside the digestive tract is known as gut health. Maintaining the right balance of such microorganisms is vital for strong immunity, physical health, mental health, and more. 

Why healthy gut is important?

If one part of the body gets affected, the whole body’s functioning is hampered. Similarly, keeping your gut healthy is very essential for overall health. There are several reasons why a healthy gut is important. 

1- Trillions of bacteria living inside the gut play a huge role in our health as they produce essential and beneficial vitamins and hormones 

2- If your gut is healthy, then your immune system will remain strong with fewer chances of sick days and allergies. It is because the gut residing bacteria contribute to making up our immune system

3- If your digestive system is healthy, it will help in absorbing all the nutrients from your food into your body

4- Proper functioning of your gut helps maintain your weight, and improve your skin, hair, and overall energy in your body. 

How to improve your gut health?

Before we discuss what kind of food we should eat, it is important to realize that before food, it’s the lifestyle that must be improved first. Lifestyle changes include several factors such as:  

·         Proper sleep schedule

·         Reduce stress levels

·         Optimize your diet

·         Regular exercise 

·         Drink clean water 

·         Eat slowly and carefully

·         Avoid smoking or alcohol 

·         Keep your teeth clean 

·         Take care of your hygiene 

Healthy lifestyle choices are the foremost ways to achieve a healthy gut. Lifestyle changes are difficult but necessary to maintain as they have a long-lasting impact on your entire life. 

What should you eat to keep your gut healthy?

Eat Vegetarian Diet 

Vegetables and Fruits are a rich source of nutrients for a healthy bacterium inside the gut. They are easy to eat and easy to digest. Another reason is that such a diet is full of fiber, that is easily digestible in your gut. The vegetarian diet also includes beans, nuts, and legumes that are also rich in high amounts of fiber. According to research, high fiber-containing food prevents the gut from a number of diseases. They also produce healthy bacteria that enhance gut health. 

Some other foods that are rich in high levels of fiber include: 

·         Raspberries

·         Apples

·         Bananas

·         Lentils 

·         Chickpeas

·         Green peas

·         Broccoli

·         Artichokes

·         Whole grains

Eat Fermented Food

According to a Stanford University study in August 2021, people who consumed fermented foods every day for 10 weeks improved the diversity of their gut microbiomes. Fermented foods included yogurt, kimchi, cider, miso, and kombucha (a fermented beverage). Fermented food produces a high amount of beneficial bacteria, lactobacilli that improve the efficiency of the gut. They also help in converting sugar to acids and alcohol. Such foods are also a great source of probiotics.

Eat foods with Polyphenols

Polyphenols are plant chemicals that carry multiple health advantages, including cholesterol, lower blood pressure, inflammation, and reduced cellular stress. Polyphenols are not always digestible by human cells. The majority of polyphenols reach the colon, where they are processed by gut bacteria and then later used as fuel by microorganisms. Polyphenol-rich foods include the following:

·         Dark chocolate

·         Green tea

·         Blueberries

·         Onions

·         Red wine

·         Broccoli

·         Almonds

Eat less sugary food 

An imbalance of bacteria, and gut dysbiosis, can be caused high intake of a lot of sugar or artificial sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners may appear to be a better alternative to traditional sugar because they are calorie-free, but new research suggests that they may harm our gut microbes. It raises the risk of causing metabolic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. Sucralose, aspartame, and saccharin can disrupt microorganisms’ diversity, making it difficult for the body to absorb blood sugar. Artificial sweeteners have also been shown to have a deleterious impact on blood glucose levels in humans due to their effects on gut flora. This means that artificial sweeteners, despite not being sugars, may raise blood sugar levels.

Eat Pro-biotic food 

Probiotics are a combination of live beneficial bacteria or yeast that are local to our gut microbiomes. These can be taken naturally through probiotic-rich foods, such as fermented foods like fermented sausage and yogurt, to boost your probiotic consumption. Probiotics have unique health benefits that improve your health by altering the microbiome’s general makeup and aiding your metabolism. Probiotics are helpful bacteria for a healthy gut by maintaining a balance of bacteria that can become out of sync as a result of illness and disease. However, in most situations, probiotics do not colonize the intestines permanently. For this, you can try for a probiotic supplement. But with the consultation of your doctor, in case you are on any other medications or going through any underlying health conditions.